Authorities said most of the victims were construction workers, the elderly or the homeless. In the national capital, the torrid temperatures melted roads and forced people indoors.
Heat waves, periods with unusually high temperatures, typically occur between March and June.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted the mercury will continue to soar this week, with substantial relief expected only when the southwest monsoon hits the mainland around May 31.
Private forecaster Skymet said north, central and east India will witness “intense heat” this week. The northeast is the only pocket expected to receive rainfall. “Very hot conditions” will prevail in central India, and Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Marathwada will be the main pockets where heatwave will be observed.
Temperatures hovered between 41°C and 45°C in Rajasthan, weather officials said, as streets and markets in cities and towns wore a deserted look during peak hours.
Authorities advised people to stay indoors and consume plenty of fluids as experts warned the heat wave is expected to continue till the weekend.
There were also fears of large-scale power outages in several parts of north India, bringing back memories of a major blackout in 2012 that affected nearly 600 million people.